Guidance Lesson: Behavior Management at the High School Level

Behavior Management: High School

Evan Kruschke & Lindsey Earl


Typical High School Classroom Behaviors

     ●            Socializing (note passing, chatting)
     ●            Grouping (Cliques)
     ●            Cell phone use (texting, social media)
     ●            Interruption
     ●            Not prepared for class (reading, materials, etc)
     ●            Excessive movement
     ●            Lack of concentration (daydreaming)
     ●            Disrespecting you or other classmates
     ●            Sleeping in class
     ●            Cheating

Warning Signs and High-Risk Behaviors*
     ●            Persistent and excessive disruption
     ●            Violent and aggressive behavior towards peers or   teacher
     ●            Excessive sleeping in class
     ●            Consistent failure to complete homework
     ●            Any drastic change to usual behavior
     ●            Testing difficulties
*When you see these behaviors, call in the school counselor!
Developmentally Typical Behaviors For High School Students
     ●            Socializing with peers
     ●            Attention to and dependence to social media and technology
     ●            Experimentation with “off limit” boundaries
     ●            Discovering who they want to be - curiosity & turmoil
     ●            Changing from concrete to formal operational thinking can cause differences in coping skills
     ●            Growing and developing moral reasoning
     ●            Engaging in power struggles
 Strategies we can use now!
●        Personalization of Homework
○         Integrate the interests of the student into homework assignments and tasks.
○        Make simple changes to math problems, such as the adding of personal names or community activities and locations.

●        Group Contingency to Manage Disruptive Behavior
○        Create a class wide behavior goal.
○        Find a way to track this for the whole class to see
○        Classmates must work together, holding each other accountable for their behavior.
○        Examples we have seen: adding points to the white board, make it a competition between classes, using a jar and marbles or another small object (when the jar is full or students have met the set amount of points they get a reward). This works best if you let the students in on the planning of the reward.

●        Self-Assessment and Goal Setting
○        At midterms, students complete a self-assessment in which they rate themselves on aspects of their performance (i.e. attendance, homework completion, attention in class).
○        Students then rate how important each of the aspects are, and create steps they think will help them score higher on the next assessment.
○        Teachers then check in with students a week later.

●        Managed Goal and Contingency Plans
○        Identify students struggling, and work with them to create personalized goals, with weekly check ins.
○        Contingencies may also be used, in which the student is rewarded for the meeting of a goal.

●        Adjusting of Task Difficulty
○        If a student is continually causing disruption before or after work in cass, there may be a chance the task was too hard or too easy.
○        Find activities or intentionally difficult, interesting worksheets that will challenge the student.
How can WE encourage a healthy school climate?
Teachers, administration, and staff can work together to improve management and support students.
     ●            Multiple Intelligence
                               ○            Create engaging classrooms where all students can be successful
     ●            Connecting with students
                               ○            In classrooms, hallways, at lunch, during extracurricular activities
     ●            System Support
                               ○            Make changes visible and collaborate.
                               ○            Have discussions about what we see working. How can we keep using what works?


School Counselors are here to support you!
     ●            Communication! If we have any insight that we think would be beneficial to a student's learning, we will share!
     ●            Guidance Lessons (i.e.“How to be a Successful High School Student”)
     ●            Offer observation opportunities
     ●            Resources are our thing, and our door is always open. If you are having difficulty with a particular student in the classroom, let us know and we will do some brainstorming to find a solution together!
What is Our Behavior Management Philosophy?
     ●            BUILD RELATIONSHIPS!
     ●            Be Consistent
     ●            Be Positive & Acknowledge Good Behavior (be specific!)
     ●            Don’t engage in power struggles
     ●            Use Humor
     ●            Give individual attention
     ●            Give students freedom to be themselves (it’s not all about business)
Why Behavior Management is Important for School Counselors
     ●            Relationship building increases your awareness of your student’s needs.
     ●            Good management skills allows for a smoother and more effective presentation of information.
     ●            When a classroom is on task, learning is taking place!
We are here to help you support your students

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